Yielding boat-cleat.



PATENTED 001. 22. 1907.

1 v I mmilL as I,

P A BIERIE YIELDING BOAT GLEAT. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1907.

Guam;

FREDERICK A. BIERIE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

YIE LDING BOAT-CLEAT.

Ito. 869,130.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application filed February 25, 1907. Serial No. 359.292.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. Binnin, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inYielding Boat-Cleats,.of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inyielding cleats, of which the following is a full, clear and exactdescription.

This invention has particular reference to cleats for use on smallboats. l

A further object of this invention is to provide a T-headed cleatcapable of all of the uses to which a cleat of this type may be put andprovided with a yielding element especially adapted for towing purposes.While this cleat is primarily designed for towing purposes, it isserviceable in other capacities, as for example, a tension reliever fora sheet line.

Reference will be had to the drawing forming a part of thisspecification and wherein like numerals of reference designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Figure l, is a side elevation, partly in section, of the invention,showing a rope in dotted lines attached thereto, Fig. 2, is an end viewthereof, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one application of theinvention in connection with a number of boats.

Reference numeral 1 designates the base, which may be secured in theordinary manner to the desired object, as the deck of a boat.

Reference numeral 2 designates the usual post extending from said baseand provided at its upper end with a horizontal elongated tubular member3 forming the T-head of the cleat. Thus far the device resembles theordinary T-headed cleat and may be put to all uses to which a cleat ofthis type is adapted. This tubular head member 3 is open at one end andclosed at its other end by portion 4, the latter being proyided with acentral opening 5 through which extends a stem 6 extending entirelythrough the head 3 and having one of its projecting ends screw threadedas at 7 and its other projecting end provided with an eye head 8.Threaded on the end 7 of the eye-bolt or stem 6 is an ordinary nut 9, bymeans of which the tension of the spring may be varied or loose playtaken up. On the same end of the stem 6 is mounted a washer 10 whichresides within the head 3 and is capable of a sliding movement therein,at the same time retaining the parts in their proper position. I

Encircling the stem 6, is a coil spring 11, one end of which bearsagainst the Washer 10 and the other end bears against the end portion 4of the cleat head. If desired, a ring 12 may be attached to the eye 8 ofthe stem and this may be a split or solid ring to permit attachment of arope 14 to the stem.

Referring to Fig. 3, A represents the stern of a pleasure launch and Bthe bow of another launch and O a small tender in tow. To the stern ofthe leading launch A is secured a cleat involving this invention.

The launch B is in tow of the launch A by tow line 14, and the tender Ois also in tow of the launch A by painter 15. With the ordinary deckcleat, the painter 15 would be wrapped around the head of the cleat andin event it was desired to take another boat in tow, the tow line of thelatter would have to be wrapped over the painter of the tender affordinglittle or no hold, and in starting or in a heavy sea, should the cleatof launch A be torn from the deck, as is very often the case owing tothe insecure means presented in small pleasure launches for anchoring acleat in position, both boats previously in tow would be at liberty todrift with the tide or carried by the winds. Should the-boats B and C beblown onto the flats orinto shallow water, it would be impossible foroccupants of launch A to reach them without the use of their tender 0.This is a very common occurrence with small launches and a very annoyingand sometimes dangerous one.

Equipped with the cleat provided by this invention, such an occurrenceis impossible. Owing to the yielding nature of the cleat it ispractically impossible for the same to be torn from the deck by thesudden lurch in starting or that caused by the surge. With this cleat inplace, the painter of tender 0 would either be wrapped around the head 3as is the usual custom, or secured around the post 2 of the cleat. Thetow line 14 of the launch B would be secured to the ring 12 of theyielding stem 6 in the head of the cleat. The sudden tension on line 14caused by starting of launch A or by a heavy sea would bring line 14 tothe position indicated by dotted line X in Fig. 3. solid cleat, thecleat would be torn from the deck, but with this improved cleat, thestem 6 would be drawn rearwardly and the tension taken up by the spring11 and should the tow line 14 or any part of the yielding mechanism ofthe cleat part, there would be no danger of tender 0 going adrift. Whenno launch is in tow as B, the tender would be attached to the ring 12 ofthe stem 6 thus relieving any strain in the towing thereof.

Such a cleat is adapted to other and many uses about a ship. The anchorline could be attached to the yielding stem, or the mooring line soattached. In sail boats it is capable of many uses where one cleat is toserve both as a cleat and a tension reliever.

Having fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and usefuland desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A boat cleat comprising a base, post and T-head, and yielding meansarranged in the head provided with rope attaching means.

2. A CIT-headed boat cleat, a stem slidable in said head, a springcushioning said stem, and means for attaching a rope to said stem.

In the case of the ordinary 3. In combination with a cleat comprising anintegral base, post and T-head, of a stem slidabiy arranged in saidhead, a cushion device therefor arranged in said head, and means on oneend of the stem for adjusting said cushion device, and means on theother end for attaching a rope to said stem.

4. In combination with a cieat comprising an integral base, post andT-head, of a stem slidably arranged in said head, a sp ing arranged onsaid stem and at one end engaging the end of said T-head, adjustingmeans on said 10 stem engaged by the other end of said spring, and meansfor attaching a rope to said stem.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK A. BIERIE.

Witnesses:

WILSON STEARLY, ROBERT H. ASHMEAD.

